


James Barnes Does Not Want A Prosthetic

by Amahami



Category: Marvel, Marvel 616, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Ableism, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, If it is posted elsewhere it was stolen, Mute Bucky Barnes, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, No Romance, Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), This work is only posted on AO3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:28:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22150309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amahami/pseuds/Amahami
Summary: James Barnes does not need or want a prosthetic. Tony Stark thinks he does, and tries to make Barnes realise it too.Mostly fluff and comfort; James is selectively mute.Rated T for language.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes & Shuri
Comments: 6
Kudos: 74





	James Barnes Does Not Want A Prosthetic

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Shines So Bright It Blinds Me](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21420409) by [ElloPoppet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElloPoppet/pseuds/ElloPoppet). 



> This work was inspired by [ElloPoppet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElloPoppet/pseuds/ElloPoppet)'s beautiful work. It wasn't about prosthetics or anything, but something in it made me need to write this.
> 
> It's filled with headcanons, and I hope you enjoy!

When James had recovered enough to take trips to the Tower, Tony wanted to see him in his lab. He figured it was a "you killed my parents, prepare to die" kind of thing.

He could have handled that.

No, in front of him, lined up on a large table, were a dozen different prosthetic prototypes. The colour schemes were either silver, gold, black, or red white and blue. A few had stars on them. Some had scales, others were seamless, and others had plates like his newest one did. One looked like the arm he had before the War.

Tony was going on about things he would normally be incredibly interested in, but right then, James was just exhausted.

"If you want another colour, we can absolutely work that out, this is just the prototype - the preview, ya know? Just try some out and figure out which one you like most, make note of what changes need to be made, etcetera etcetera, blah blah blah.

"I don't know why nobody in Wakanda hasn’t gotten you a new prosthetic yet, but I'm thrilled because that means _I_ get to design an amazing prosthetic! I mean, look at all this, Bucky!"

Tony paused for a few seconds before continuing, not noticing that James hadn't moved since he started talking, "I hacked into the SHIELD files to get the measurements of the anchor point, so I have these all set up for you. I haven't quite figured out how to interface them with your nervous system without excruciating pain on your part, but I'll get there. Hydra did, after all, so it won't be long.

"I have always found prosthetics so fascinating, but with Rhodey's stuff, that was a system of braces, not replacing a limb. It was more of a mass exterior joint replacement.

"Speaking of, Friday, please make a note for me to call Rhodey next time we're both free."

"Of course, sir."

Tony turned his excited eyes to James. "So? What do you think?"

James looked at Tony's shoulder, silent for a few moments, focusing on putting words together. He had gained some speech back, but it often took him a considerable amount of time to reply if he could.

"I don't..." James paused again, "It's my choice to not have a new prosthetic."

Tony's face was carefully blank, "Come again?"

"I do not want a prosthetic," he repeated.

Tony squinted at him, "Bucky, you... You don't want... A prosthetic."

James nodded in affirmation.

"But you need one! How will you -" Tony paused a moment, "How will you read, or drive, or _bathe?!_ "

James heaved a great sigh and turned away from Tony, preparing to leave.

"With my right hand."

He walked out the door, leaving Tony baffled.

The next day, James was reading next to the hot tub when Bruce lay down a few chairs away. They lay in comfortable silence for some time before Bruce opened his mouth.

"So, Bucky..." he began awkwardly, "I see that you don't have a prosthetic..."

James grunted in affirmation.

"Tony has loads of prosthetics made up. Why don't you try out one of those?" Bruce almost sounded like he actually wanted to be there, asking.

James sighed and marked his page with a finger, turning to Bruce. "No need; don't want one."

"But why not? Are you okay? Do you need assistance? I know plenty of-"

" _Stop._ " James stood up and went to Nat's quarters.

She let him in after the first series of knocks. She bolted the doors closed and laid back on her sofa, where it was clear she'd been lying.

James lay down on the sofa opposite hers and glanced at his book longingly.

"Tony's trying to manipulate me," he stated.

"Yup," Natasha said. "I tried telling him to stop, but you know how he is."

James sighed and hummed. He did know how Tony was, and he was worse than Howard had been.

"You're leaving tomorrow morning, right?" Nat asked as she hit play on the show she was watching. "Leaving in the morning is for the best, anyway. Keep most of us from pestering you."

James hummed his acknowledgement and opened his book. He'd have to text the pilot and see if she was up to leaving earlier than planned.

At dinner that night, Steve turned to him, "Bucky, Tony showed me all these swell prosthetics. I dunno if he got around to showin' ya yet-"

A muscle in James' jaw began to twitch. "He did. Not interested."

James practically inhaled his food after that, and the second he was done, Natasha stood up and said, "Let's go play that game you were telling me about earlier, Barnes."

James' shoulders lowered just slightly, and he stood up and followed her to her quarters.

Once the door was closed, James leaned against it and sighed. He looked at Nat pleadingly.

She just shrugged, "I don't know how to get them off your back for sure. If you block calls for a few days, I have some ideas I can try out."

James nodded gratefully; Nat smirked at him knowingly. She left the room and handed him a pint of pineapple habanero ice cream before she sat down on her sofa with her own ice cream - aleppo chili pepper neapolitan - and started a TV show called Too Cute.

James took some time to enjoy the searing coolness of his ice cream before sticking the spoon into the container and standing up. He sat at the end of the sofa closest to Nat and wrapped the throw blanket there around his shoulders.

The two of them watched several episodes together while finishing their ice creams.

Nat went to the bathroom and came back with pillows and blankets; she handed half of them to James, and the other half she kept for herself.

They wordlessly fell asleep on the sofas.

James left early the next morning, before most people were up. Clint was awake, but James was sure he hadn't gone to sleep yet.

Clint asked if he wanted help getting his stuff to the plane, and James declined. When asked if he wanted company, though, James shrugged.

Clint followed James as he transported a couple bags around. In the elevator up the last time, Clint said, "Tony did the same thing with me, but with cochlear implants." He tapped where his hearing aids usually went.

"Wouldn't shut up about it. Kept talking to me about it, facing away from me to boot, and using long, technical words while knowing my aids were out. That kind of thing.

"I think Nat did something to make him shut up, but I'm not sure. Just give it time; one of us will figure out how to make him stop. Maybe get him to work on prosthetics for people who are actually interested in getting one.

"Til then... Just ignore him?"

James shrugged and raised an eyebrow.

Clint snorted, "Okay, ignore him more than usual, then."

James smiled and put out his hand, and Clint shook it.

"Be seeing you, James."

James grinned and waved back before boarding the plane back to Wakanda.

A few days later, James and Shuri met up at a café in town. Once they'd sat down with their giant mugs of hot cocoa, Shuri turned to him with piercing eyes.

James took a deep breath in preparation.

"So I got a call from Tony yesterday," she began. James groaned.

Shuri grimaced, "Mood. Anyway, he seemed worried that you don't want a prosthetic arm."

They both rolled their eyes.

"I tried explaining in _so many different ways_ , I was ready to 'ok boomer' him, shit."

James snorted into his cocoa, drops of it ending up all around his stein. Shuri handed him some reusable napkins, smirking, and he cleaned up his mess.

James raised his eyebrows at her and raised his shoulders.

"Oh, right," Shuri took a sip, "I ended up shouting at him, about what an ableist asshole he is."

James snorted again, cocoa dribbling out of his nose. Shuri started laughing at him, so he lovingly flipped Shuri off.

Once James blew his nose and Shuri stopped giggling, he made a _go on_ gesture.

"After that, I hung up on him. I sent him some articles about ableism, how disabled folks don't always need what abled folks think they do, and the many degrees and trade certificates I have, proving my competency." She took a moment to drink her cocoa, considering her words.

"I wanted to make sure you were aware, and well warned."

"Appreciated," James whispered scratchily.

"Now," Shuri said, leaning forward, "let me see the plane designs you're working on?"

James took his tablet out of his bag and slid it over to her.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to my alpha [Shilo1364](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shilo1364), my beta [Annachibi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/annachibi), and my pre-reader [MistressTitania](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressTitania/pseuds/MistressTitania).
> 
> Check out [ElloPoppet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElloPoppet/pseuds/ElloPoppet)'s work, as well.
> 
> And thank you _so much_ for reading! Please feel free to ask questions about this fic and/or my headcanons, or maybe even tell me what you thought.


End file.
